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What to do when someone dies

We’re here to help

Losing someone close to you can be very difficult. In addition to the emotional upheaval of coping with a death, you may also need to take care of their financial affairs.

This guide will help if you need to settle the banking affairs of someone who has died. When you are bereaved, dealing with the deceased’s affairs may feel complicated and time consuming. To help, we have provided answers to some frequently asked questions. These cover everything from what documents you will need to provide to us, to what happens if the late customer held a joint account. If at any time you are unsure how to proceed, please contact us.

How do I let you know?

If the deceased was a Santander International customer, please contact us as soon as possible. If the deceased held accounts with a branch other than the Isle of Man branch or Jersey branch, you will need to contact Santander UK plc’s Bereavement Service separately.

We will require one of the following documents in order that we can amend our records:

the original death certificate; or

a certified copy of the death certificate.

At the point of notification for a Sole Account holder we will block all access to Online Banking and also any Visa debit cards in the late customer’s name. For Joint Account holders, the late customer’s access to Online Banking, and any Visa debit cards in their name will be blocked. These preventative measures are designed to prevent against theft or fraud.

Please note that we are unable to release any information in regards to any account(s) a person might have held with Santander International until we are in receipt of one of these documents.

Joint accounts

Q. What happens to my account if the joint account holder passes away?

A. In line with our Terms and Conditions, we will automatically transfer ownership of the account(s) to the surviving account holder(s) upon receipt of an acceptable death certificate. The account number(s) will remain the same however the account(s) will be renamed to the name(s) of the surviving account holder(s).

Q. Can I continue to use my Visa debit card once the deceased account holder passes away?

A. Yes. You can continue to use your own Visa debit card as normal. Do not use the Visa debit card of the deceased customer as this is blocked upon notification of death and cancelled upon receipt of an acceptable death certificate.

Q. Can I continue to use my chequebook once the deceased account holder passes away?

A. No. Upon receipt of an acceptable death certificate, we will cancel the existing joint account chequebook and issue you a new chequebook in your sole name.

Sole accounts

Q. I am the Executor of the deceased customer's Will, how do I obtain the funds?

A. Always ensure that you have the most up-to-date Will. This is important as it states the wishes of the deceased and names the Executor(s).

Our requirements for releasing the funds of late customer's account(s) will depend on the total value of assets held with us;

Funds that total over £10,000 require a Grant of Probate prior to release. The Probate you need to obtain will depend on the situs of the account. If the account is Isle of Man situs you will need to obtain Isle of Man Probate. If the account is Jersey situs you will need to obtain Jersey Grant of Probate.

Funds that total under £10,000 require the completion of a Small Estates Indemnity Form, accompanied by a certified copy of the Will of the late customer.

We will also require certified photographic and address identification for the Executor(s) under either scenario. Further details for the release of funds are available on request.

Q. Can UK Probate release funds held in the Isle of Man or Jersey?

A. No. The Isle of Man and Jersey are not governed by UK law, so a separate Grant of Probate is required in accordance with the relevant Crown Dependency Government.

Q. What if the deceased died without leaving a Will?

A. If the deceased died without a Will, you will need to obtain a Grant of Letters of Administration. This is a legal document granted by the relevant Court or probate registry to appoint appropriate people to deal with a deceased person’s estate.

Q. How do I obtain Probate in the Isle of Man or Jersey?

A. Information on applying for Probate may be found on the Isle of Man Courts of Justice website and the Jersey government website – please be aware that in order to apply for Probate you may need to enlist the help of an advocate. We have compiled a list of advocates in both the Isle of Man and Jersey who deal with probate matters (available on request) should you or your local legal representatives wish to engage their services.

Q. If the deceased customer held accounts over £10,000 in both the Isle of Man and Jersey, will I need two different types of Probate?

A. Yes. As the two jurisdictions are governed under separate law, an Isle of Man Probate will not release funds held in Jersey and vice versa.

Q. If the deceased customer had funds in a Fixed Deposit Contract, can I access the funds before the Contract matures?

A. No. In line with our Terms and Conditions, we are unable to break Fixed Deposit Contracts under any circumstance. However, all documentation required to release the funds can be collected prior to this date and then funds can be scheduled to be paid away upon maturity.

Q. Who do you class as an acceptable certifier?

A. Documents will need to be certified by a professional person, including any one of the following;

Qualified and practising lawyer, member of the Judiciary or senior civil servant.

An individual who is a member of a profession body such as ACCA, ACA or ICSA.

A Director, Officer or Manager employed by a regulated financial services business (currently employed).

Serving Police or Customs officer.

Serving Government official.

Consular official of an Embassy High Commission or Consulate of the country of issue of the document.

A Notary Public who is a member of a professional body.

Q. What happens if I am a third party on an account but the sole account holder passes away?

A. Third party authorities become null and void once the sole account holder passes away. You will no longer be entitled to act on the account and we cannot release information to you unless you are the Personal Representative of the deceased.

Words you may come across when someone dies

Below is a glossary which will help you to understand some of the terms used when you are dealing with a bereavement.

Beneficiary: a person who inherits part or all of the estate.

Certified copy: a copy of the original document that has been signed and verified by an acceptable professional person.

Customer/Personal representative: generic term for someone who is administering the estate.

Crown Dependency: a territory that is under the sovereignty of the British Crown but does not form part of the UK. The Crown dependencies are the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.

Death certificate: the legal document issued by the registry office after a death has been registered.

Estate: all assets, including money held in a bank account, belonging to the deceased.

Executor: a person appointed by a testator to carry out the terms of their Will.

Grant of Letters of Administration: a document giving the authority to administer an estate where there is no Will. This is known as dying intestate.

Grant of Probate: A document formally allowing someone to administer the personal property (movable estate) held in the country of issue of someone who has died. The deceased must have left a Will.

Grant of Representation: a collective term for both the Grant of Probate and the Grant of Letters of Administration. The Grant provides the names and addresses of the Executors or administrators.

Intestacy rules: the rules dictating how the deceased’s estate is to be shared when there is no Will.

Joint Account: means an account that is held by more than one person with us. Joint account holders are jointly and severally liable for any funds, deposits withdrawals and general up keep of the account, in line with the agreed terms and conditions of their account(s).

Situs: the place where something (i.e. your bank account) is held to be located in law.

All accounts opened with Santander UK plc, Jersey Branch have situs in Jersey and therefore are not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme established under the UK Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 or by the Isle of Man Depositors' Compensation Scheme. Santander UK plc, Jersey Branch is a participant in the Jersey Bank Depositors Compensation Scheme. The Scheme offers protection for eligible deposits of up to £50,000. The maximum total amount of compensation is capped at £100,000,000 in any 5 year period. Full details of the Scheme and banking groups covered are available on the States of Jersey website www.gov.je/dcs, or on request.

All accounts opened with Santander UK plc, Isle of Man Branch have situs in the Isle of Man and therefore are covered by the Isle of Man Depositors' Compensation Scheme as set out in the Isle of Man Depositors' Compensation Scheme Regulations 2010 and not covered by the UK Financial Services Compensation Scheme or by the Jersey Bank Depositors Compensation Scheme.

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